Improving the success of Cisplatin and/or Radiation treatments, using AZ-1775 to sensitize HPV+ and HPV- HNSCC

• Applicant: Dr. Antje Lindemann
• Subject Area: Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology
• Term: from 2015 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270965379

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is one of the most aggressive cancers and is the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. To date, platinum-based agents remain the backbone of chemotherapeutic regimens for head and neck cancer. Despite being the most widely-used agent, resistance to and recurrence after cisplatin therapy remain common. Inhibition of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase Wee1 potentiates genotoxic chemotherapies by abrogating cell-cycle arrest and proper DNA repair. Here, we will investigate the anticancer potential of AZ-1775, an small molecule inhibitor of Wee1 to sensitize head and neck tumors to cisplatin and/or radiation.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Jeffrey Myers